Flying Angel Sugar Cookies

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in the ground almonds and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough about 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3- to 3-1/2-inch crescent-shape cookie cutter and a 1-inch star-shape cookie cutter, cut two crescents and one star from dough for each angel. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

To decorate:

1. Outline and flood half of the crescent-shape cookies and all of the star-shape cookies with glaze-consistency white Royal Icing. Using a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe frosting-consistency white Royal Icing in decorative lines on white-glazed crescents for wings. Sprinkle wings and stars with coarse white decorating sugar.

2. Spread three-fourths of each remaining crescent with glaze-consistency pink-tinted Royal Icing for a dress on body. Using small amounts of icing, attach each body at an angle to a wings piece and to a star as a halo.

3. Using a multiopening (grass) tip, pipe long strands of white icing for hair. Attach a pink sugar pearl for an eye on each angel.

Royal Icing

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing is very stiff. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours.

To Store:

Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

**Tip:

Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store.